The city could inspect individual units only where the tenants invited them in.

"We wanted to do an inspection of the grounds and the whole property, and the property manager would not allow us on the property," said Tim Boling, deputy director of the Neighborhood Services Department.

Inspectors found one of the complex's two pools filled with green water. The other was empty.

They also found 38 vacant units with broken windows or busted doors, some wooden patio decks in disrepair and one of three chillers inoperable, meaning some of the units didn't have air-conditioning. Among the violations, inspectors found eight imminent hazards on site, including stairways that could collapse, Boling said.

"It was the kind of situation that created a bunch of blight on the property and unsafe conditions for residents," Boling said.

The on-site apartment manager said she was prohibited from speaking to the media about the situation.

Boling said the department has requested the City Attorney's Office to file criminal charges against the property owner. "They have not fixed much of anything at Woodbridge," Boling said.

He noted that tenants also have requested that the on-site property manager fix things, but "it's not happening."

The charges were to be filed last week, but the property owner's attorney contacted the city.

"The attorney said the owner wanted to do a settlement agreement and, instead of dumping money into legal fees, put the money into fixing up the apartment," Boling said Thursday

The city withheld filing while negotiating with the attorney in good faith to have repairs made, he said.

City officials learned that the property owner on Monday fired the attorney, prompting the city to move foward with its original intent. "We will likely file charges next week sometime," Boling said.

Boling said a judge could impose a penalty ranging from a $250 to $2,500 fine for each charge.

If the owner still refuses to fix the violations, "eventually, the judge can order them to go to jail and stay there until the property is fixed," he said. "That is the extreme. Hopefully, this time going to court the owner will take it seriously."

HK Realty has a history of violations with five of its complexes in Phoenix, according to the city.

"They have always been challenging," he said. "Eventually, they will do a little bit and do just what is necessary to come into compliance technically but would still leave the condition on the property not ideal."

Boling said of the five properties owned by HK Realty, Woodbridge is the worst.

"I've been with the city for 28 years, and I've seen a lot of properties in disrepair," he said. "On a scale of 1 to 10, this is about an 8 as far as conditions."

HK Realty purchased the complex in May 2011 in a foreclosure sale for $5.7 million, according to Maricopa County Assessor's Office documents.

Woodbridge tenant Baker remembers better times at the complex when he first moved there in 1988.

"This place used to be beautiful. The grounds were gorgeous," Baker said. "They had pools of water with fish in it. They used to have breakfast every Saturday morning for people. It was wonderful.

"This place has really gone down in the past year."

But Baker, who uses a power chair to get around, is reluctant to leave because he is near a bus line, close to a market, and he can afford his monthly rent on his retirement income.

"It's hard to leave," he said. "It's all right for me as long as they keep the AC and water on."